The Cold One
by Genim Stilinski
Summary: When Alec recieves a mysterious note, he finds that his brother may not be as dead as he thought.
1. Chapter 1

He awoke in the cold, dark place that was Manticore. Every fiber of his being told him that this was wrong. He shouldn't be here. He felt Max snap his neck, and yet, here he was. Unless, of course, this was his mind's version of the bad place. He wished one last time that the Blue Lady would take him away to the good place, before the guard noticed he was conscious.

A few minutes later he found himself staring at a slender, fearsome looking woman with white blonde hair who called herself Renfrow. She paced around him, circling, like a vulture, or a cat waiting to pounce. It was rather unsettling, but he made sure not to let it show. Suddenly, she stopped directly in front of him.

"Hello, Ben. That is what your unit called you, isn't it?"

"Yes." He tried desperately to control the fear and anger in his voice. Her sickeningly sweet one lingered in the room. She was not the kind of woman who the Blue Lady would like.

"You have been a very naughty boy, running out on us with them. Then, you decided to start killing people. We can't allow that. You've brought a lot of attention to yourself, 493." She began to circle again.

"What did you do to me?" Ben began to panic, straining at the metal holding him in place.

"We found you in the woods, and we brought you back. You see, 452 may have broken your neck, but you never really died. We fixed you."

"Would I have died?"

"What? If we left you?" She gave a slight chuckle. "Yes, you probably would have. But let's not dwell, shall we. We have a mission for you."

"What kind of mission?"

"In exchange for freedom, we would like you to bring us your sibilings. They are becoming really…irksome." She once again stopped, this time, on his side. She pulled a lever beneath the seat, releasing the metal bindings.

"Bring us as many as you can, and you can take their teeth."

"The Blue Lady will be pleased." Truthfully, he was just happy to be leaving.

* * *

One Year Later

"Hot Run! Sector five." Normal handed max an abnormally large box, to which she promptly scowled. "Bip, bip, bip, missy. That package isn't gonna deliver itself."

"Whatever." She exited the Jam Pony building, nearly knocking Alec down as he returned from his last run.

"Well if it isn't the prodigy child, back from the slums of sector ten." Normal gave the faintest smile at the reappearance of his favorite messenger, who he fancied a gift from the heavens. He was, after all, handsome and lots of fun to have around, even when the ladies fought over him. No other man was worth the trouble, but Alec was.

"Hey, Normal."

"I have something for you!" Normal stepped out from behind the dispatch desk to hand Alec a little piece of paper. He unfolded it with suspicion, and stared down in horror.

It read:

_X5-494,_

_We need to meet. Come to Crash tonight. 8pm. I'll explain there. _

"Normal, where did you get this?" His whispered words ran together as he tried to hide his fear.

"Sketchy got it from someone. He was gonna give it to you, but I wanted him to make a run instead." Now Normal was confused. He thought for sure it would just be a little note from whatever girl he had taken an interest in as of late.

"Well, Sketchy's back, if you want to ask him." Alec turned to see his friend in the door.

"Sketch, where did this come from?" He walked towards the man, who was now looking a bit freaked himself.

"A guy, he was dressed in black, and had a hood on. He told me that if I didn't give it to you, some 'Blue Lady' would know."

"Is that all you can remember?"

"Yeah, except…" he hesitated, but the look in Alec's eyes compelled him to continue. "The voice sounded kind of farmiliar. I couldn't quite place it, though." Alec stood in silence for several moments, making both Sketchy and Normal uneasy. Whatever this was, it sure wasn't a girlfriend.

"Let me know if you think of anything else, Sketchy." He didn't await a response before grabbing a package from the dispatch desk and heading out.


	2. Chapter 2

Alec paced on the wet cement road outside of the entrance to Crash. While normally it was his favorite place to chill, it made him feel anxious. He had no idea who the hell tried to contact him. What he did know was that he, she, or they, knew who his Manticore designation. This could mean that they were from Maticore, they were one of White's guys, or he was found out. No matter what, it couldn't be good. It was five minutes to eight, and he was frightened.

For Alec to feel genuine fear was a rare thing. The only times he had been this scared were the two times he was taken to psi-ops, and when he had a small explosive resting at his brain stem, ready to blow. Thus, it was a strange sight to Max, who was secretly lurking in the shadows. She had heard about everything from Sketchy, and knew something was up. It was usually bad when Alec didn't come to her for help.

It was 8 o'clock on the dot, and he knew it was time. He pushed the door open with ease, and allowed his legs to carry him down the stairs on automatic. His transgenic eyes scanned for anything out of the ordinary, when he saw a form of a person slipping in to the shadows of the back hallway. It was sneaky, and therefore, the most likely person to be the one he was meeting.

* * *

Max followed Alec into Crash, avoiding anyone who might try to stop her to talk. She was halfway through the club when she lost him in the crowd. Thus, she sat down with Original Cindy and Sketchy.

"Hey, did you guys see Alec a minute ago?" They may have been her friends, but she was going straight to business.

"Well, hello to you too, Maxie."

"Come on, Sketch. This is important." Original Cindy, who was equally annoyed with Sketchy's antics as Max was, stepped in.

"I did see him walk through, but I don't know where he went. He was real tense, though. That boy's gonna give himself a heart attack if he doesn't chill." Concern was etched in her face, Sketchy began to figure it out.

"Oh. This has to do with that note, doesn't it?"

"I don't know for sure, but it's a good bet. I just hope he's not in too much trouble this time." She sat down, serving herself a beer from the pitcher in the center of the table.

* * *

Alec followed the shape around the corner, finding that it was standing…waiting. He surmised that it was a man, based on the build, which was comparable to his own. The man was hooded, and still surrounded by the darkness of the hall, so he couldn't get a good look at him.

"X5-494" The man addressed him in a strangely familiar voice.

"Maybe. Who the hell are you?" The man gave a bit of a chuckle, and raised his head. Hesitant fingers drew back the hood.

"I am X5-493." Alec found himself face to face with himself, or more precisely…

"Ben?"


	3. Chapter 3

Alec stood in wonder and fear of his duplicate, knowing that he was supposed to be dead. He was also supposedly insane. After all, Alec didn't spend six months in psi-ops for no reason.

"How did you know my name?" Ben questioned. Alec, realizing that it could still be a trap, thought quickly.

"I'm not telling you anything until I know you won't tell Manticore anything."

"Listen," Ben decided to level, "Manticore has me bringing in other x-series. If I don't do as they say, they'll kill me, or worse. That's why I asked you here. I need help."

* * *

Max, while sipping beer with OC and Sketchy, watched a nervous looking Alec find his way upstairs, to the door.

"Ain't you gonna follow your boy?" Original Cindy had also been watching. Sketchy, however, had not.

"Alec! What's up, man?" He called to the approaching transgenic. He hadn't the chance to answer before Max and Original Cindy spun around.

"Hey, guys. Max, can I talk to you for a sec?" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back into the same hallway, pushing him roughly against the unforgiving wall.

"If you're Alec, then who the hell was that?"

"Ben." She backed up, allowing Alec some space.

"That's impossible…" She backed into the opposing wall, and stared at the face that so exactly resembled her brother's.

"Apparently, Manticore got to him quickly enough to fix his neck and bring him back." He watched as she crossed her arms. "Then, that bitch, Renfrow," She scowled at the name, "made him a deal."

"Let me guess," she mused, "his life for capturing the other's in our unit."

"Not just them, but any Manticore escapee. And, they've got one of those inconvenient pop bombs right at the base of his brain stem to detonate if he goes rogue."

"Shit."

"Yeah, and he got me here to ask for help without them seeing. He doesn't want to be responsible for the capture, and brainwashing or murders of anyone else."

"We've gotta help him, Alec. Going back was exactly what he didn't want. That's why I tried to kill him, before… so he wouldn't have to." Her pleading eyes spoke volumes.

"Don't worry, Maxie," he pulled her off of the wall and in to a hug. "We'll fix this."


	4. Chapter 4

Ben slipped out of the club that his sister and genetic copy frequented. Yes, he knew Max was there. He saw her on the way out, but opted not to see her, so as not to put her in any more danger than he already had. Sure, it was accidental. He only knew that it was a good place to meet Alec. He hadn't the vaguest idea that he knew Max.

A sudden surge of panic broke him out of his reverie as he spotted two of the late Manticore's agents in a nondescript vehicle across the narrow street. The driver motioned for him to get in. He knew better than to disobey. What, with the implanted explosive in his neck, it was suicide to do so. He hated what they did to him, and made him do to his siblings, and prayed to the Blue Lady that it would stop. He wanted so badly to run back in and tell Max that they were here, in Seattle, and still looking for her, but he couldn't. All he could hope to do was to keep her location secret.

* * *

"Why do you think they're taking so long?" Sketchy asks a slightly annoyed Original Cindy.

"Does it look like I know?" She snapped, allowing her eyes to remain on the point where the hallway where Max and Alec are.

"I bet they're making out or something. Why else would they be gone so long." This earned him a slap on the arm from his co-worker.

"I'm gonna go and see what's happenin'. You stay here." Ordinarily, she would leave them be, but she saw that there were two men who looked like Alec, and the real Alec was visibly spooked.

She pushed herself through the unusually busy club and into the hallway, where she found her friends in a tight embrace.

"What's wrong, boo?" She asked Max, who looked rather upset. Only Max didn't respond. Alec did.

"Ben's alive, and in trouble. Manticore, or what's left of it, has him doing their dirty work."

He never let go of Max while he spoke. Original Cindy added more comfort by stroking her long, dark tresses.

"Just let me know if I can do anything."

* * *

Ben sat in silence for what felt like ages, in a room that looked as if it were used for interrogation. He had never been in one of these rooms, let alone in this wing of Manticore's new facility. In fact, very few people knew what it was, and those who did know weren't willing to talk about it.

Just then, the door opened, admitting Hillary Banes, the new director of the Manticore project. She was tall and slender, with golden hair and muddy brown eyes. In any other circumstance, Ben would have found her rather beautiful, but he was too frightened to care.

"Hello, 493." She spoke in sweet tones, but they did little to mask the threatening undertones. "Do you know why we've brought you back?"

"No." He was short with her, trying to hide his nerves.

"Well, we seem to have a little problem," She paused, and smiled. "We know that there are thousands of transgenics in Seattle, and yet, you have failed to bring anyone in. Why is that?"

"Hunting down your creatures isn't as easy as it seems on paper, ma'am." He lied to her, as he had been taught early on to do, if ever in enemy hands. It would only be too easy to bring in a transgenic, but he wouldn't do it anymore. He had to stall.

"Need I remind you of the agreement you had with my predecessor?" She folded her hands together on the table, leaning forward in a decidedly unfriendly way.

"I remember it just fine, thanks." He leaned back in his chair, putting forth as much bravado as he could muster. After all, it was just a matter of time before he was saved, and he wouldn't have to fear her anymore.

"Well then," She too leaned back, "I guess it's time for you to go hunting."


	5. Chapter 5

Ben was pushed out of the back vehicle by the Manticore goons, and instructed to bring in a transgenic by daybreak. It was that, or death. He liked neither option, but like his brother before him, he decided that it was better to bring in others than allow himself to perish. Thus, he found himself walking the streets surrounding Terminal City, hoping to find someone heading in or out.

Surprisingly, there was no one. Not even a group of protesters waited at the gates tonight. Ben forgot that it was two in the morning, though.

* * *

Max gathered together the supplies she would need: a scalpel, a device that she had no idea what was named (which she called the grabby-thingy), a lighter, some gauze, some tape, and some rubbing alcohol. All of these were loaded in her bag, which she slung over the back of her motorcycle. Original Cindy watched in awe of her friend's proficiency and determination; these were traits that Max had always exemplified, but was still surprising under the pressure. She was dead set on saving her brother, even if it killed her.

"What happens when you and Alec find him, boo?" She leaned against the doorframe, awaiting response.

"Well, we'll need to get that explosive out of him before the bad guys figure out what's happening." She rolled her bike to the door.

"And what happens if they figure it out?" The look on Max's face said it all… _they'd make it blow._

* * *

Alec looked around as he waited for Max outside of the run down apartment complex that she lived in. He was no stranger to the place; in fact, when he was charged with the murders that Ben committed, he stayed overnight. Relief washed over him as Max rolled her sleek motorcycle out of the door. He was nervous, which was a rare occurrence. After all, his brother's life could hang in the balance.

"Hey," She rolled up, moving to straddle it. "You ready?" He slung his leg over the seat, and placed his arms firmly around Max's mid section.

'Yeah, let's just get this over with."

They headed for Terminal City, knowing that it would be the first place Ben might look for another transgenic.

* * *

Ben's ear's picked up on the sound of the motorcycle engine while it was still out of visual range, causing him to stop in his tracks. _Maybe I will find someone to bring them, _he thought grimly to himself. He hid in a small alley as the motorcycle drove through. He moved to leave, but noticed that the motorcycle was coming back around. It stopped in front of the alley, and two people dismounted. He focused his eyes, and discovered that it was Alec and Max.

"Ben?" Max called, looking for the hint of a person she saw as she drove by. Much to her relief, he stepped out of the shadows, and walked towards them.

"I don't know if they are watching, so we should move inside." He brushed passed them, and kicked down the door to an old factory. They entered, and sealed the door from the inside.

A/N: Sorry for such a short chapter! I love writing this story, but my inspiration for it comes in short bursts.


	6. Chapter 6

Max and Alec pushed a few crates in front of the busted door to keep the Manticore goons, and anyone else who may be snooping, out. Ben stood there, watching in awe of their synchronized thought processes. It had been at least ten years since he had worked on the same team as any other x-series Manticore creation, and he had lost the ability to read another's intentions like that. All in all, the only ways he could read people were animalistic in nature, as in knowing when someone was going to run, or when to attack. It was almost comforting to see that Max had a new brother, just like him, to watch her back. Only Alec would never be like him. He was a murderer, and Alec wouldn't ever stoop to his level. The little device in his neck was a reminder of the fact that he was nothing more than Manticore's tool, doing their dirty work on a daily basis.

Ben wanted more for himself than that. Even if it meant he had to die, he didn't want to be that killer any longer. Some of his brothers and sisters went on to doing good things. Hell, Zack even sacrificed himself to save Max. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get on to their level by himself. He needed Alec and Max to give him a hand.

"First thing's first." Max's dominant voice broke him out of his thoughts, "We need to get that pop bomb out of you." Alec handed Max her bag, and she stepped forward with it.

"How do we do that?" He didn't really like where this was going, but he knew it was necessary.

"We're going to have to dig it out." Max gave an apologetic look, and opened her bag.

"Don't worry, bro" Alec piped in, "I had one of those once. It doesn't hurt that bad to get it removed."

"Alright, what do I need to do?"

"I need for you to sit on one of those crates, and as much as it sucks, once I start, you have to stay absolutely still. Alright?"

"Yeah." He pulled a crate to the center of the empty, dirty room, and sat as far back on it as he could.

"Alec," She called over as she moved to stand behind her brother. "I'm gonna need you to hold the flashlight." He clicked the flashlight on, and walked over to stand beside Max. He pointed the flashlight directly at the back of Ben's neck, as Max used the lighter to sterilize her instruments.

"I don't mean to sound impatient, but the longer I'm in here, the greater the chance that they'll detonate the thing." He twirled his thumbs in his lap, waiting for Max to do something.

"I'm ready to start."

"Alright." He took a deep breath, exhaled, and felt the sting of hot metal cutting just below his barcode. He clenched his teeth, knowing what was happening. It was frightening to think about, but it was the first step towards freedom.

Max took the scalpel away as she inserted the grabby-thingy. Moving to pull it out, she felt it snag slightly, and Ben jumped forward in his seat. She stopped.

"Ben, I didn't mean to do that, but if you bump this thing while I'm taking it out, it could blow." She warned. He stilled again, and hissed at the throbbing pain in his neck.

Max pulled the explosive out as carefully as she could, and handed it to Alec, who promptly chucked it across the room. A slight light and bursting sound accompanied it's landing. The female transgenic dressed the wound, and then pulled her brother into a tight hug from behind.

"It's done." She near whispered in his ear, as Alec felt a pang of jealousy in his gut. Her brother was back, and now he was back to being Ben's pain-in-the-ass clone. But he pushed those feelings aside. Max doesn't play favorites.

Suddenly, the crates at the door were moving, and the two Manticore goons rushed in.

The same thought flashed through each of the transgenic siblings' minds: _Shit._


	7. Chapter 7

All in all, the fight was uneven. Three X-5's against two ordinary handlers? It was almost obscene. Max was the first to attack, rushing at the one on the left, and Alec followed suit, attacking the one on the right. Ben was uncertain as to who he should help, so he stood back to watch for if and when he was needed. The one on the right, who he knew to be called Jones, attempted to give Max the right hook, which she easily blocked. She sent him flying into the wall behind him. Alec threw two well aimed punches at the one on the left, Kerrigan, and had him on the ground, but still conscious. Max stalked after Jones, deflecting more punches, and a kick towards her gut, which she used to flip him on to the ground. When he looked back to Alec, he was tying up Kerrigan with some rope he brought. He tossed the extra to his sister, who similarly bound Jones. They stood, wiping the dirt off their clothes.

"They report back to Banes every hour, on the hour. So, when they don't respond, more handlers will be on the way. It wouldn't surprise me if the place were swarming with people from the new Manticore by morning." Ben stated plainly, looking straight to Max.

"Then we've got to get out of here." She replied.

"But your motorcycle can only hold two, and if my math skills are anything to go by, I think we're one too many." Ben tried to ignore Alec's obvious jab at him. It didn't take a genius to see that he was jealous, albeit understandable under these circumstances.

"Well, then, what do you suggest we do?" She shot back, also picking up on his hostility. Ben piped in this time.

"Well, what about Terminal City? Isn't that transgenic central anyways?"

"We can't go there. The last thing we need is Manticore hopping the fence and coming across hundreds of frightened and angry people. If we can't distract them away from here, then we might have a massacre on our hands." All three looked at each other in understanding.

Alec was the first to speak. "Well, I'm game."

* * *

Just like he predicted, Ben watched military vehicles containing search parties unload into the area around Terminal City. He was safe within its gates, so long as Alec followed through with their plan. Max, meanwhile, was downstairs in HQ, explaining the situation at hand. He could hear them from his upstairs location as he watched events outside unfold.

"I don't like what Alec's doing." He presumed it was their leader, Mole, who he had met all of a half hour ago.

"They don't know he's in Seattle, so they'll assume he's Ben. It's the only way to keep Manticore away from here." The troops poured out of their vehicles like ants, and Alec was getting ready.

"Shouldn't it be Ben out there? I mean, he brought this on us? Hell, he is responsible for the deaths of some of us! Remember Kanji? She went missing last month, and I'll bet it was him that took her."

"He was coerced, just like we all once were. Besides, Alec and I have already done too much to risk him now."

"He's a murderer."

"He's my BROTHER! And no one's gonna hurt him anymore. Not while I'm around." Ben allowed a single tear to grace his cheek as he listened, and watched their plan unfurl.

* * *

Alec revved the engine to Max's bike, waiting for them to be close enough for him to pull out of the alley. He needed to make sure that someone would see him and follow, otherwise the plan was useless. He heard one battalion round the corner to the street ahead of him, and he looked to his brother, Ben. He was sitting inside a large window in the building that served as their headquarters, pressing his forehead to the glass like a frightened child. He gave Alec the signal, a single thumbs up, to let him know it was time. Thus, Alec peeled out of the alley.

"Hey!" One of the goons shouted, "There he is!" All of the soldiers fell back to their vehicles, and followed. Alec cursed at the frailty of his brother's clothing (which they had switched, so as to make his show more convincing) as the wind poured through it during his high speed chase. He used a ramp they hade made of plywood and a broken down Volkswagen at the sector gate to jump it, loosing the soldiers at the first opportunity. He pulled into another alley to wait, having completed his part of the job.

* * *

Logan shifted in his chair at his desk, waiting for the phone call from Max, signaling him to begin his part of the disappearing Ben act. This, of course, meant falsifying documents, creating false witnesses, and pulling a lot of strings and favors. Basically, it was to make a false trail for Banes and her men to follow, making it appear as if Ben had left town.

*RING*RING* He snapped his arm to his desk phone, responding with a brisk "Hello?"

"Hey. It's Max."

"How's it going?"

"Alec just called. He said that he made a clean getaway, ditched the bike, and is ready for you to start."

"Where is he now?"

"Well, I told him to lay low, but you know how he is. He insisted on circling back here."

"Yeah, that's Alec for you. I'll get right on it."

"Thanks again, Logan."

"It's fine. I'm here to help."

"I know."

"I'll call you later"

"Okay."

"Bye." She hung up without another word, just as she always does. Logan sighed, knowing that it'd be a long night.


	8. Chapter 8

Alec ran faster than any human was likely to see through back roads, attempting to get back to Terminal City without being spotted. It had been a while since he ran at his full speed, meaning that he felt a bit dizzied. He almost got hit by a few cars a while back, but avoided them in time to avoid having to stop and reveal himself. His brother's frail clothing pushed backwards against his body, uncomfortably dragging against his smooth skin. He was oversensitized and overstimulated; the adrenaline pumping through his veins caused a state of shock previously unknown to him. He left Max's bike in an alley in the last sector, and despite Max's warning to stay put, wanted to return to her and Ben, and the safety of the transgenic community, as quickly as possible.

The pain was near unbearable, but it helped him to do what he had to. The pain in knowing that he would never be as good as Ben to her was agonizing, but Alec loved her enough to push it aside…to give her what she needed. She knowingly risked his life to save her brother's, despite all they had been through, and he hated it. But he knew he still needed her. He needed her since the moment he was forced to leave Manticore. She made everything make sense. Suddenly, in his disoriented thought process, it all made sense. They were flawed, Alec and Ben. Without Max, they were confused children, living in a big and frightening world. No wonder Ben went insane on the outside. They had been separated.

Alec stopped just outside the gates to Terminal City, looking around quickly before jumping the fence. He looked up, just to see Ben staring out the window with the same sorrow in his face as before. He looked to Alec, giving a slight smile, before backing away from sight. Alec strode into the building, HQ as it were, and searched the small crowd of transgenics for Max. She was leaning over a computer screen, talking to Logan (who was still living at Joshua's house) about the success of their plan.

Alec slid up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder to alert her of his presence.

"So. Logan." Alec spoke, looking into his friend's image on the monitor, "How'd we do?"

"Well, they're following the trail we laid out for them, so I think we did pretty well."

"And," Max added, "Original Cindy went and picked up my bike and brought it home."

"Great. I'm just gonna go and find Ben. I want my clothes back." He backed up a few steps, and then turned to walk up the rickety stairs. As he thought, Ben was sitting up there, away from everyone.

The lonely transgenic had his knees pulled up to his chest, and his arms wrapped firmly around them. His head rested sideways atop his bent legs, as he stared up at the man who stood over him. Said man was exactly the same in appearance as he, but somehow so much more beautiful. He had this air about him…a sort of confidence that seeped from his pores, making him seem so much more than his twin. It was intimidating, but rather awe-inspiring. He never really understood beauty until he met his brother.

It seemed kind of vain to think such things about his identical twin, but Ben couldn't bring himself to have a problem with it. Alec deserved this kind of appreciation. In Crash that one evening, he noticed how the women there looked at him. They found him attractive, sure, but their lustful looks made him realize that they weren't truly seeing him. It was a shame that no one else seemed to notice how wonderful he really was.

"Hey, twin." Alec sat down beside him on the cool floor, opting to stretch his legs out rather than bring them inward.

"Hello, Alec." Ben knew that his brother didn't like him very much, but the joking tone in his voice as he called names told him that he was at least accepted. For now, that was enough.

"Hey, can I have my clothes back?" He asked, staring into his brother's eyes.

"Sure." Ben stood, immediately slid out of Alec's favorite jacket, and placed it on the table beside him. Alec followed, slipping the thin shirt off of his torso, and set it down on the opposite end of the same table. They stood, facing forward, giving the other the courtesy of adverting their eyes. Ben couldn't help it, though. Once Ben and Alec were both down to their undergarments, briefs and boxers, respectively, the former couldn't help but glance sideways at the marvel that stood beside him. After all, if his face reeked of perfection, surely the rest of his body would be just as good.

"Dude." Alec interrupted his thoughts, staring back, straight into his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm, sorry, but…" He struggled with the words, frightened of sounding strange, or frightening his brother away. "We are physically the same, and yet, you're so much more beautiful than I. I don't get it. I can't figure it out."

"Just because I saved your ass doesn't mean you need to start flattering me." He chuckled, sliding his clothes from in front of Ben, and pulling on his jeans.

"I mean it, Alec. I look at you, and I don't see myself. I see something completely different…better." He hesitantly pulled his clothes to him, and continued to stare. Alec froze, abandoning the zipper of his jeans, to turn and really look at his brother.

"Ben, I don't know if you've noticed, but Max seems to think the opposite. She loves you, and shuns me away. She sees you as better, and I…I just can't seem to live up to you in her eyes." Ben's eyes glistened with moisture as he stepped forward pulling Alec into a tight embrace.

"Max may have known you longer, but she doesn't see what I see. Don't let it get to you." Alec half-heartedly returned the hug, still a bit upset with the whole situation. Ben stepped back and finished dressing. Alec just watched, in awe of his brother's compassion.

* * *

Max heard every word of it. She heard Alec's smart ass remark, talk of clothing, and all of that seemed normal until their little heart to heart. Do Ben and Alec really think that lowly of themselves? Do they really think that lowly of her? It was hard to accept that both of them were broken men, and she was part of the equation. But she couldn't for the life of her figure out how.

Alec came barreling down the stairs, Ben trudging behind. It just now struck her as odd to see the both of them together. The only differences were their hair (Alec liked to use lots of hair gel), and the expressions that they wore. Alec looked a bit tired, but had his best fake smile on (like she couldn't see right through it…), and Ben looked a bit sad. It was easier to believe that it was just because of what the two of them had discussed upstairs, but everyone knew that the road ahead was daunting.

Firstly, Ben needed to decide if he was going to stay in Seattle, or if he was going to leave. Max sincerely hoped that he chose to stay, but knew that if he did, Alec would probably disapprove. Then, wherever he decided to go, he would need to find work, a place to stay, and the likes. It wasn't like he didn't do okay on his own the first time he was free, but he would need to find something else besides murder as an occupation. And of course, the whole situation created new baggage for the three of them to carry. _Ugh, what a mess_, she thought.

"I need to call Normal and tell him I won't be at work today. I need some sleep. What should I tell him about you, Max?"

"I'll be there in a while. You can tell him that you were sick and I was over at your place, helping you out."

"Whatever." He strode away, over to the nearest corner, in order to make his phone call.

"Hey, Ben." She smiled sadly.

"How much did you hear?" He knew. It was so obvious, and Max felt a lump form in her throat.

"I heard everything. I…couldn't help it. I was worried."

"For me, or for him?"

"For the both of you." She snapped. "Look, I'm not going to pretend that this isn't hard for all of us. We thought you were dead. It's just gonna take some time."

"I just want to move on, Max. I want for the three of us to be happy. Don't you have enough love for both of us?" He walked back upstairs, clearly upset.

_Well, _She thought, _I guess we have a lot to work on._

* * *

_A/N: Reviews are love! Also, I'd really like yor opinion. Should I make this Alec/Ben? Or perhaps Alec/Max? Let me know what you think!_


	9. Chapter 9

Alec flipped the top of his phone down, effectively ending his call with Normal. Though he did his best to fake a voice typical of an ill person, he was too busy eavesdropping on Ben and Max to really be convincing. He was sure to give his boss the bogus story about Max coming over to check on him, thus effectively covering her. After all, Normal hated when Max was late, but if it was for Alec, he wouldn't care one bit.

He exchanged sorrowful glances with Max, wishing for once that she would actually see him, before he headed out the door. The sun was brighter now, higher in the sky, than it had been on his run, but he slips on his sunglasses and meanders all the way home.

* * *

Ben carefully padded up the rickety staircase, back to the familiarity of the upstairs landing. The filthy window let in enough light for him to see more of the abandoned items in the space, but filtered enough to where his eyes were comfortable. After all, he'd become fairly accustomed to only being outside at night. It's when he was sent out to do his hunting. When Renfro was still alive and in charge, he came and go as he pleased. When Banes came into the fold, his metaphorical leash was considerably shortened. Truthfully though, the restriction was part of what made him finally realize that he was being used- no longer doing the Blue Lady's will. May she forgive him for all that he's done.

He sank back down to the floor, crawling up to settle in the windowsill. Somehow, with the view he had, it seemed like he was less confined. He could almost see past the glass enough to pretend that he was simply sitting in the sky. What a pleasant thought it was, too; nothing to keep him in, or down, or away. Almost.

Ben realized shortly after talking with Alec that he could no longer identify with other people. He'd been away from normal society for too long, treated like a beast rather than a human being. Well, part human being. He didn't know Max anymore, not like he used to. It hurt, thinking that he was so distant from even her. His only hope to reconnect was Alec. His twin may have had a different life, a different attitude, a different most everything, but underneath it all, they were more alike than anyone else realized. They were both like frightened little boys, clinging to attention and affection from others like a security blanket. Alec was simply better at hiding his insecurities. Alec grew up as a soldier, forever pretending to be unfeeling, whereas Ben grew up alone, unable to find a reason to suppress his emotions. And they were just enough different to make all the difference. Alec was still better.

It was mostly for this reason that Ben allowed his brother to know exactly what he thought of him. However, it was only part of the story. He was confused. He shouldn't be thinking so much about him. The hug they shared played over and over in his head, and he couldn't get over the warmth, the security, the comfort he felt, as he tried to give these things to Alec. It wasn't as if his brother was enthused with the action, but he did still bring his arms around, reaching out as much as he could feel comfortable with. He suddenly wondered if Max had seen the interaction as well, and what she would think.

* * *

Alec closed the door to his apartment, trudging over to grab some booze from the counter. Despite the fact that he couldn't really get drunk unless he drank an entire liquor store, it was still the best hope he had of actually sleeping. Ever since he met Ben at Crash, he hadn't slept at all. Too many thoughts ran through his head to clear, and way too many repressed emotions forced their way to the surface to be pushed back down. The annoyance he felt for being sent to psi-ops because of Ben, the jealousy for the years that Max and Ben got to know each other before they escaped, the anger for being arrested for Ben's crimes, the sorrow for Ben's death at Max's hand. It all served to keep his mind from settling. He was unable to rest.

Somehow, when he was with either Ben or Max, it felt better, calmer. He forgot all of the things that made him so anxious. Seeing them alive, well, and together was enough. And yes, he was still bothered by the fact that Max paid more attention to Ben than he, but it was inconsequential in comparison. So what if he couldn't really have her. He could still support her.

A knock on the door startled him, as he had been too lost in thought to even sit down. He moved to get it, when Max walked in on her own. She had changed out of the clothes she had warn for the night, and into something better for messenger work. The baggy pants and jacket she wore were far less flattering to her perfect figure than the other clothes, but it somehow suited her anyways.

"What's up, Maxie? Shouldn't you be at work?" He asked somewhat flatly, too tired and confused to really care.

"I'm on my way. I just figured that I should come by. I kind of owe you an apology." She shrugged in her typical Maxie way.

"What?" Once again, his fatigue overrode his ability to really think about what was being said.

"Well, I was so caught up in trying to take care of Ben, I sort of forgot about you in all of this." She near mumbled, "I'm sorry that I've made you think I cared more for him than you." Alec stood still for a moment, bottle of whatever he'd picked up clenched in his hand. It wasn't like Max to apologize for anything in earnest, let alone to him.

"Uh, thanks." He mumbled.

"Well, I'm just gonna…go. I'll see you later." She replied, sensing the tension in the air. With that, she walked backwards out the door, shutting it behind her, leaving Alec rather dumbfounded.

* * *

Ben walks silently through the street, having long abandoned the comfort of the window. He needed more than that. The cool air permeated his worn-out clothes, sobering him to complete awareness. It seemed like everyone's eyes were on him, and it scared him. He needed to pick up the pace.

When he spotted the building he was looking for, he ducked into an alley, so no one would see him start to run. Before he knew it, he was up the stairs, and the correct door.

He knocked, waiting for the door to open.

* * *

Alec stood up from the sofa, abandoning his booze when the door shuttered. Someone was there, knocking, and they weren't exactly gentle about it. The only people to ever pound his door so thoroughly were Max, the sector police, and his annoying neighbor, Nelly. None of them were quite desireable at the moment, so he was fully prepared to open the door and tell whoever it was to fuck off (or the truth, if it was Max). What he was not prepared for was a teary eyed Ben, pulling him into another tight hug.

"You and Max both left, and I didn't want to be alone." He choked out, pressing his face into his twin's neck.

"I'm sorry, Ben. I didn't realize that it'd upset you." He spoke, truly concerned, as he felt a sense of pain and love wash over him. He really did love the man who was currently attached to his torso, almost afraid of letting go, and he hurt for him.

"Can I stay with you for a while?" He whispered, hope written in his voice.

"Yeah. Sure." He wasn't sure exactly what prompted him to do it, but Alec found himself leading the other transgenic to his bed. Ben did nothing in protest, instead, following without question. He felt his body gently roll back onto the mattress as Alec tipped him back. He crawled upwards, watching as the other man shed his shirt before following. He didn't have very long to view the beautiful expanse of skin his brother uncovered, before the effort was abandoned in favor of touch. They curled up, wrapping arms around one another, falling asleep in each others arms.


	10. Chapter 10

Hey! Sorry I took so long just to write such a short chapter! I have been uuber busy as of late, and have had other pieces I've wanted to get done. Please bear with me! I will finish this story eventually!

Please do review! They help to inspire the plot bunny!

* * *

"Hot run!" Normal bellowed in his usual, aggravated tone, "Sector 12." He pushed the package into Original Cindy's hands, and gave Sketchy a similar one. Max gave them a little wave, trying her best to slip by Normal, lest she be bombarded with questions, without being seen. Her luck, however, was sparse.

"Hey, Missymiss! How's my golden boy?" He called. Max cringed at his obvious favoritism, and turned around to answer.

"He's got a bit of a fever, but he's not too bad. I pretty much had to make him go back to bed." She internally smiled, knowing that it left little excuse for him to be absent for long.

"Good. Good. He needs his rest if he's gonna get better." Normal spoke to himself.

He gave Max a package to deliver to sector 9 after she placed her stuff in her locker, and she took it without complaint, for once.

* * *

Ben was the first to wake from his and Alec's nap, and he felt incredible. Wrapped up in his brother's warmth, he felt…alive. And he couldn't figure out what was better- the fact that his head was currently placed firmly against Alec's smooth chest, or that Alec had his arms wrapped firmly around him, and his head atop his brother's. Either way, it was a place he never wanted to leave.

He hoped that Alec could stay asleep just a little longer. He looked so peaceful when he slept. And of course, Ben knew that he really needed it after the night they had. Alec though he needed the alcohol, but Ben knew otherwise. After a particularly difficult evening he had when Renfrow was still in charge, he tried to drown all his miseries the same way. All he accomplished was giving himself a headache.

True, he had three bottles of whiskey, but any less was burned off too quickly by the transgenic body. He secretly wondered if Alec knew this, too.

Meanwhile, Alec pretended to be asleep. He knew that his brother was wide awake, but he didn't want to let go. He also hoped that Ben would slip out of bed soon, so he could avoid the embarrassment of "waking up" holding on to him. Because, as much as his brother loved him, he wasn't used to physical contact of the loving variety. Though he has shown to be the hugging type, Alec still didn't want Ben to freak out and leave.

No, Alec needed him too much now.

But Ben complied, gently slipping out of his brother's arms, and planting a delicate kiss to his forehead before leaving the room. The loss of the warmth clinging to him was almost worth the feel of the kiss. Alec couldn't help but smile at the simple gesture as soon as he was sure that Ben wouldn't see him. He got up a few minutes later, heading back out to the living room, where Ben was flipping through some of his old porn magazines.

"These women are not fully dressed." Ben said, mildly concerned.

"That's kind of the point, bro. It's supposed to help you get imaginative when you jack off."

"Oh. Okay." Ben accepted that his brother was less than perfect, which included his ability to be so casual when speaking of sex and anything related. He placed the magazine back on the table, and sat back on the sofa.

"We should probably eat something." Alec pondered, moving into the kitchen. "You coming?" He called.

"I'll be there in a minute." Ben replied, taking a moment to get up. He was, after all, still slightly elated that Alec had allowed him to sleep in his bed. He hadn't felt this loved, or cared for, since he and his surrogate siblings left Manticore just over ten years prior.


	11. Epilogue

A/N: So, I apologise for taking this long on my final chapter. Real life has been a bit hectic! But, I finished! Please do tell me what you think...I do so love reviews!

* * *

After she'd finished her runs, Max couldn't help but find herself, once again, knocking at Alec's door. She knew somehow that Ben would be there, too. And when the door opened, she really wasn't sure which of them she was looking at. One stood near the other, and they were both in Alec's clothes. Their hair was the same, which lead Max to believe that Alec thought it was a good idea to teach her brother the wonders of hair gel. It wasn't until the one farther back said "Hey, Maxie." that she realized it was Ben who answered the door.

"Hey." She replied, addressing both of them. Stepping inside, she silently joined both men in the living room.

"I've decided to stay in Seattle, if that's okay," Ben spoke out of nowhere, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Really?" Max's eyes lit up, "That's great!"

"And," Alec interjected, "He's staying with me."

"We should see if we can get him a job at Jam Pony."

"Yeah, because I _know_ Normal would love to have another one of me!" Max and Alec laughed, but didn't leave Ben confused for long.

"Normal is our boss, and he's got a bit of a man-crush on Alec." Max informed.

Ben turned to Alec, "Are you two…together?"

"Hell no! I love all the attention and all, but the guy's a total skeev when it comes to me!" Max once again laughed, enjoying the companionship in her brother and Alec.

"Somehow I feel as if we're going to be plotting a practical joke." Ben stonefaced, giving no tell of his feelings on the matter. Truly he was amused, but abstained from showing it for Max's sake.

"Damn straight we are!"

"Somehow _I _feel as if you two will be a handful in the near future!"

* * *

The next morning, Max returned for breakfast (since Alec was teaching Ben how to cook), and they all left for work together. Ben rode on Max's bike with her, but consistently kept his eyes fixed on the green motorcycle beside them.

When they arrived, everyone stopped and stared in stunned silence at the fact that there seemed to be two of Alec.

"Hey, Normal," Alec called. "This is my brother, Ben. He's looking for a job."

"Sweet baby Jesus, Alec, you never told me that you had a twin." He stood, basking in the sight.

"Yeah, well, I didn't know about him till recently. We were separated at birth." Alec lied, hoping to appease the boss-man.

"Okay, let me get an application. He can fill it out and start today." He said, moving behind his desk to find one. Alec took it from Ben and filled out info to correspond with Alec's.

Introductions were made to Original Cindy and Sketchy, and later, Max told OC the true story.

* * *

One Week Later

Jam Pony's resident twins strutted through the front door side by side, chatting animatedly about God knows what. It wasn't all that odd an occurrence, but it was still strange to see. Everyone, save Max, Original Cindy, and Normal, looked on with slight confusion. Max ignored them, OC was amused, and Normal's eyes were hazy with poorly-hidden lust. Granted, Normal's reaction was half the reason why Original Cindy was amused.

"Is he _ever _gonna get over those two?" Original Cindy mused.

"Not unless one of them finally tells him to take a picture or somethin'." Max replied.

"Hey, Maxie!" Ben greeted her from across the room. Alec merely gave her an upward nod. He needn't say it, but Max knew it meant many things, the most important of which was "Thank You."

It was a thank you for finally learning to get along with him.

It was a thank you for being around when they needed her.

And most importantly, it was a thank you for his brother. His Ben, as he liked to say, would not be his if not for Max. He probably wouldn't have talked to the guy more than what was necessary to get him out of the clutches of Manticore if not for her.

The best part was: he meant all of it, even if he wouldn't say it.


End file.
